Enter the world geared toward the middle grade child. They range from a step above picture books to just below young adult. Some are more graphic novel in nature. All are meant for kids and the young-at-heart.

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

'Sacred Tales: 60 Indian Moral Stories for Children' by Morris Fenris

Sacred Tales is a collection of sixty (60) ancient Indian stories told with a fresh perspective. These stories have been around since the dawn of human civilization. They were tales that were passed from generation to generation in an oral tradition that spanned hundreds of years. They have since been written down, translated and have traveled the world, encompassing many languages and cultures over the millennia.

These 60 stories can be read and enjoyed by all ages, all religions and all cultures.

Reviews:

"This beautifully written collection of 60 stories from India reminded me a great deal of Aesop's Fables. Each story has a moral at the end, and they would be very appropriate to read to children at bedtime. It is wonderful to read tales from another country and learn about a culture different than ours, although the stories would show that we are more alike as a people than different. The color map of India at the beginning of the book is a great addition, because you can look up where a story came from as you read it. I really enjoyed this collection - it is a great reference book of curated tales from ancient times."

"The Indian Sub- Continent had some of the oldest civilizations known. It has a rich cultural heritage. The art of storytelling in the Sub- Continent is as old as time itself. Even before the human race knew how to read and write, it could tell a tale. In the beginning, these stories were passed on orally from one generation to another. Grandmothers would entertain their grandchildren with such stories while mothers would lull their children to sleep with them. Stories would be narrated at meal times to hold the children’s attention so that they ate more. Whenever each person told these stories, they made some changes and thus there grew several versions.

Later when humans learned to read and write, many of these stories were recorded. In India, thousands of years ago Sanskrit was the language used to compose texts. There were also several scripted common languages. Literature in these languages grew. When Sanskrit was discovered in the western world, a whole world of fascinating stories was found. Origins of some popular western tales could also be traced back to folktales from the Sub-Continent. This book has a variety of timeless folktales from the Sub-Continent. The author is presenting the traditional stories for today’s children and adults in simple and entertaining language.

Some of the stories are popular while others are little known. These tales span heaven and earth and many have their origin in age-old tribal lore. This book is a timeless gem that I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and one that I recommend very highly."

"The stories in this collection are very short and easy to read. At the end of each story is the moral in red so it is hard to overlook. I thought this worked very well. The book is well organized and presented, but what makes it charming is the writing. It is simple but poetic. I’d share this book with young and old alike. I think most people would find something beautiful within it."

"An excellent collection of short stories with moral lessons and engaging language. Perfect to read to children at bedtime, as I did, and even us adults will walk away from the book with a warm heart. It is also nice to read a bit of the origins of the stories, such as the region or area where they originated or were told the most. Easy to read and well-presented, it is a "feel-good" collection that everyone can benefit from."

Morris has been writing since childhood, drawing on his experiences in life and emulating the styles of his favorite authors. Morris enjoys reading and writing in a wide range of genres and has plans for writing many books.